Rally against pillion riding ban

Karachi: A large number of youth and bikers under the banner of Pasban staged a bike rally from Tibet Center to Chief Minister House against the ban of pillion riding in Karachi.

The protestors raised slogans and staged a sit-in in front of the CM House.

Addressing the protestors, Pasban Karachi chapter president Shaikh Muhammad Shakil said the ban on pillion riding is violation of the rights of motorcycle owners. He said bikers pay prescribed tax and fee of excise and taxation department which legally allows them to use their bikes for pillion riding. He said a motorcycle has seats for two persons, which is the proof that it is a vehicle for riding of two persons. He said for this right of pillion riding the E&T department charge fee from the bikers but the government bans the pillion riding off and on depriving the bikers of using their right of pillion ride.

He said in Karachi there is acute shortage of public transport vehicles and the majority of commuters travel in dangerous Chingchis. He said motorcycle is the mode of conveyance of low income people and banning pillion ride is affecting millions of Karachi bikers. He said despite continues ban of pillion riding in Karachi the incidents of violence are going unabated, which proves beyond any doubt that the Karachi violence is not a pillion ride centric issue.

The protestors demanded from the Sindh home department to lift the ban of pillion riding in Karachi immediately to facilitate bikers and their families.